MOSCOW – The wreckage of the Japanese ship Montevideo Maru, which carried over 1,000 prisoners of war and was torpedoed by the United States during World War II, has been found, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said yesterday.
“At long last, the resting place of the lost souls of the Montevideo Maru has been found. Among the 1,060 prisoners on board were 850 Australian service members – their lives cut short,” Albanese tweeted, reported Sputnik.
The Australian prime minister added that the effort behind the ship’s discovery “speaks for the enduring truth of Australia’s solemn national promise to always remember and honour those who served our country”.
Media reported that the ship had been found in the South China Sea by a team led by the not-for-profit Silentworld Foundation, deep-sea survey specialists from Fugro and supported by the Australian Defence Ministry.
Japanese ship Motevideo Maru sank on July 1, 1942, minutes after it was torpedoed by the US off the Philippines, leading to the death of over 1,000 prisoners of war from 14 countries, including over 900 Australian servicemen and civilians. The shipwreck is considered to be one of Australia’s worst maritime disasters in the country’s history. – Bernama, April 23, 2023
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